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The great strength of Ancient History is that it allows you to specialise in the study of the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome that lie at the very heart of European culture and the cultures that border the Mediterranean.
Overview
At Kent, you can study the history of these ancient civilisations inside one programme, or you can follow a broader pathway that engages the study of history with that of ancient literature or archaeology.
You also have the opportunity to learn Latin or Ancient Greek, which are taught at beginners, intermediate and advanced level. Much of European civilisation grew out of the classical world so it is not surprising that it is still highly relevant today.
Canterbury, as a late Iron Age settlement, a Romano-British city, an Anglo-Saxon town, and a centre of early Christianity, is an excellent base for studying different cultures, with visits to local sites and museums as well as to museums in London and Paris. There are also opportunities for archaeological fieldwork both locally and further afield.
This programme includes the opportunity to spend a year abroad, between Stages 2 and 3.
Independent rankings
Classics and Ancient History at Kent was ranked 7th overall in The Guardian University Guide 2017 and 9th for student satisfaction in The Complete University Guide 2017. In the National Student Survey 2016, 87% of our Classics students were satisfied with the quality of teaching.
Classics and Archaeology students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Year in industry
Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally. You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.
You can apply to add a Year Abroad to your degree programme from your arrival at Kent until the autumn term of your second year. The Year Abroad takes place between Stages 2 and 3 at one of our partner universities. Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme. For a full list, please see Go Abroad.
You are expected to adhere to any academic progression requirements in Stages 1 and 2 to proceed to the Year Abroad. The Year Abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification.
Teaching and assessment
All modules have a weekly small-group seminar, and most also have weekly lectures. We encourage you to take part in excavations and field surveys with staff and associated institutions, and student bursaries are available to support this.
Assessment at all stages varies from 100% coursework to a combination of examination and coursework.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- teach a congruent discipline within the framework of the European intellectual, cultural and historical traditions, interacting with other component disciplines
- treat the diverse societies and cultures of the Ancient World and their interaction, with a focus on history, but with the possibility of the inclusion of literature and archaeology
- study the history of ancient Greece and Rome, and the contemporary civilizations of ancient Asia Minor, Persia and Egypt, from ca.600BC to ca.AD600
- survey the main areas and genres of Classical Literature, both Greek and Latin
- make a study in depth of selected themes, regions and periods in history
- introduce key elements by which early Europe acquired its social, political, cultural and intellectual foundations
- explore different types of evidence: literary, historical, art-historical and archaeological, using primary source material wherever possible and focusing of different approaches and techniques
- examine the problems of interpretation in each type of source material through critical analysis of current studies
- equip students with a range of subject-based critical thinking and communication skills
- provide learning opportunities that are enjoyable, involve realistic workloads and offer appropriate support for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- another culture, whether focused on literature, thought, art and religion, or on history and political and social organisation, or on material culture, with an informed sense of the similarities and differences between it and our own culture
- complementary subjects (literary, philosophical, historical, art historical and archaeological)
- selected themes, periods and regions within ancient history in the context of current debate
- an appropriate and diverse range of primary materials and of the appropriate methods of interpretation.
Intellectual skills
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
- apply the skills needed for academic study and enquiry
- analyse, evaluate and interpret a variety of types of evidence in an independent and critical manner
- select, gather and synthesise relevant information from a wide variety of sources to gain a coherent understanding
- deploy a range of techniques and methodologies of study
- use problem solving skills
- evaluate research in a critical manner
- study and reach conclusions independently.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
- the ability to make a critical evaluation of a variety of sources for literary and historical and as appropriate archaeological study
- the ability to extract key elements from complex data and identify and solve associated problems
- select and apply appropriate methodologies in assessing data, such as bibliographical research, textual analysis, historical analysis, visual skills, collection and analysis of archaeological data, use of statistics, philosophical argument and analysis
- gather, memorise and deploy evidence and information, and show awareness of the consequences of the unavailability of evidence
- show familiarity with the basic concepts which underpin the different branches of the programme pathways
- marshal argument lucidly and communicate interpretations using the appropriate academic conventions.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals using a variety of means
- take responsibility for your personal and professional learning and development
- evaluate and learn from your own academic performance
- manage time and prioritise workloads and assessments, and write and think under pressure
- use problem-solving skills in a variety of theoretical and practical situations
- work creatively, flexibly and adaptably with others, and understand how groups function
- deploy a range of IT skills effectively, such as producing word-processed text with footnotes, basic formatting, using email, research using databases and text files, locating and exploiting websites.
Careers
Classics and Archaeology students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey).
Possible careers include archaeology, the heritage industry, museums, business, journalism, Civil Service, computing, media, librarianship, teaching, further academic study, and any employment requiring literacy and versatility.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | BBB |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 15 at HL |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | ||
| Part-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
UK/EU fee paying students
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Year Abroad/Industry
As a guide only, UK/EU/International students on an approved year abroad for the full 2017/18 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Please note that for 2017/18 entrants the University will increase the standard year in industry fee for home/EU/international students to £1,350.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.